Follows recruitment of 16 local directors

The NHS Commissioning Board Authority has appointed Ann Sutton and Lyn Simpson to two directors posts in the national leadership team of its operations directorate.

Sutton, who is currently chief executive of Kent and Medway PCT cluster, will assume the role of director of NHS commissioning (corporate) and will have responsibility for devising the national framework for the Board's direct commissioning responsibilities (including specialised services, primary care, public health, healthcare for military personnel and their families and for offenders).

Simpson, who is currently NHS director of operations in the Department of Health, has been appointed director of NHS operations and delivery (corporate) and will be responsible for NHS planning and performance, assurance of delivery by clinical commissioning groups and national lead for NHS emergency preparedness, resilience and response.

The NHS Commissioning Board is part of UK NHS reforms implemented by Health Secretary Andrew Lansley that aims to hand control of commissioning treatment from primary care trusts and strategic health authorities to clinicians.

The Board, which is expected to become fully operational in April 2013, is intended to provide national standards and accountability for commissioning and ensure the system is “fit for purpose”.

Ian Dalton, chief operating officer and deputy chief executive of the NHS Commissioning Board Authority, said: “These two posts will provide the strategic leadership and oversight to ensure that we have a strong, innovative and patient-focused commissioning system that improves outcomes, tackles inequalities and supports the NHS in England to be the best it can be.”

These latest appointments follow the recruitment of 16 local area team directors, and mean that the national and regional leadership team of the Operations Directorate is now in place.